SRINAGAR: A top militant commander of militant outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad along with four of his associates was killed in a fierce gunfight with Government forces in forest area of Kellar in South Kashmirs Shopian district on Thursday.
Police sources said that Special Operations Group Kellar received a tip-off at around 9:45 Wednesday evening regarding the presence of five militants in Gadru forest area. In a swift action Army personnel from 44 and 53 RR and SOG personnel from Kellar and Shopian cordoned off the forest area where the militants were present. The security forces decided not to advance during the night and instead put up flash lights and set up concertina wires encircling the area.
At 9:30 on Thursday morning when Army and SOG advanced towards the actual location, the militants opened heavy fire. The Government forces did not suffer any causality as they were taking cover of bushes. The retaliation on part of Government forces however left two militants dead at early stage while three more militants hid themselves in dense forest and engaged the troops in a fierce gunfight till 3:30 p.m, a police official said adding that to force the militants to come out in the open, tear smoke shells were used in large numbers.
Sources said that the operation was called off at 3:30 with the killing of the remaining three militants.
The local militants were identified as Shakeel Ahmed Wani alias Ali son of Ghulma Muhammad resident of Pakharpora, Tahir Ahmed Dar son of Abdul Gani Dar of Aglar Kandi, Ashfaq Ahmed son of Ghulam Muhammad Daga resident of Arwani Kulgam and Parvez Ahemd Shah son of Muhammad Ahsan Shah a resident of Bata Muran Pulwama.
Muhammad Toib, a resident of Pakistani side of Kashmir was the Divisional Commander of JeM.
Sources said slain Shakeel Ahmad Wani was brother of a senior journalist working with an Indian news channel from Kashmir.
Wani, according to sources, had joined the militant ranks last year in June and was declared as A category militant after rifle snatching incident at Pakharpora Shrine on June 5.
Police sources said that Toib was active in South Kashmir for past several years.
According to sources, Shakeel Wani was a government teacher but had left his job after joining militant ranks.
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